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Unboxing the Global Agenda Collector's Edition
Today's the day that Global Agenda has officially launched, and if you're still waiting for more information about this game before making that box purchase, we can help. Not only did we show you a round-up this morning of our complete coverage on the game, but now we want to show you what's in the physical retail box, also referred to as the Collector's Edition. That's assuming people remember how to go buy physical boxes in stores, right? Follow along through the unboxing gallery below for a piece-by-piece tour of the Global Agenda Collector's Edition box contents.%Gallery-84323%
CinemaNow 2.0: 3D, 1080p, Android & WinMo get a taste of online movie distribution
Thought digital delivery would get left behind in the jump to 3D? Roxio's CinemaNow 2.0 platform is ready to build on the success of its predecessor -- already embedded in many devices and powering the online stores for Blockbuster, Best Buy and Zip.ca -- and flip the switch bringing streamed or downloaded 1080p or 3D, plus the ability to add additional background info on each movie or previously disc-exclusive extras like multiple audio tracks, subtitles and more. Also new for 2.0 are plans for access on Android and Windows Mobile devices. We're still thinking a combo of lower prices, all you can eat subscriptions or a disc tie-in is the logical next step, but we'll wait for a CES demo to ask about that, and whether the new features will be backwards compatible on old hardware.
Leeroy-related extras on recent DVD releases
Recently two different movies have included their own versions of the world famous Leeroy Jenkins video in their DVD extras. Year One is the first -- the video, which you can watch after the link below, isn't a perfect reproduction, but it is funny to see Vinnie Jones and the other actors (including McLovin as Leeroy) try to wrap all of the WoW jargon and nonsense jokes from the original into their idea of a scene that makes sense. There's another Leeroy Jenkins related extra on the Monsters vs. Aliens DVD -- this one's just a set of storyboards, but it does feature the voice cast, including Kiefer Sutherland and Seth Rogen, doing their own little version of the scene. It's not quite as faithful as the Year One version, but it does feature Rogen doing the Leeroy yell, and that's worth watching by itself. You can watch that video after the break as well. Both are worth a chuckle -- it's wild to see a meme like Leeroy sneak out into mainstream media.
Three bald, naked guys needed in LA immediately
Do you like your video games with an extra helping of naked, bald dude? It appears as though a game studio in LA will be fulfilling your desires come August 1. Superannuation caught the incredible Craigslist ad that we couldn't help but share with the world, calling for bald men who are willing to "shave all body hair."Specifically, the casting calls for "Caucasian male model/actors for [a] video game shoot," and, in typical video game fashion, needs them in a group of three. Things just get steamier as the description continues, detailing the wardrobe, a "nude-colored thong," and a heads-up that applicants must be comfortable being "posed close to other men." You throw a disco ball and some roller skates into that mix, and you got yourself a party! And no, there is no word on whether or not Mark Wahlberg is involved. Yet.[Via Superannuation]
Up director discusses Blu-ray extras with Cinematical
If you hit the theaters for Disney / Pixar's Up this weekend, you're probably more than ready to watch at home, and our friends at Cinematical recently talked to director Pete Docter about what to expect on the Blu-ray release. Beyond just commentary, there's also a documentary on their South American mountain research trip and Cine Explore powered look at all the artwork and animation tests behind the making of the flick. Considering how many of you consider other Pixar Blu-ray discs reference quality, there's little doubt this will be another great to add to the collection, check out the rest of the interview at the read link.
Obligatory video game Easter eggs post: 2009 Edition
Yeah, we know. Every Easter, we write up a historical account of well-hidden Easter eggs featured in video games over the years. You've heard them all by now, we're sure -- the guerrilla credits of Adventure, the "Secret Cow Level" in Diablo II, Yoshi's appearance in Super Mario 64, GTA IV's "Heart of the City," A Link to the Past's Chris Houlihan room, and Symphony of the Night's hidden audio track, to name a few. For more info about these tried and true surreptitious extras, we suggest checking out this GameSpot post.However, this past year saw the arrival of a heretofore undiscovered Easter egg in a title you all know and love -- ladies and gentlemen, we present "The Goldeneye Breakdancing Glitch," viewable in the video after the jump. Apparently, tilting the Goldeneye cart in the middle of a game leads to hilarious impromptu b-boying from any and all on-screen characters. You simply must check it out -- and while you're down there, tell us your favorite video game Easter eggs in the comments!
Buyers warming up to digital copy, especially on Blu-ray
Studios are reporting the number of digital copy activations has risen even more over the last few months. Numbers are skying highest on Blu-ray discs, with The Dark Knight reaching a 20% transfer rate, compared to 10%-12% on the DVD release. That's no real surprise if you figure anyone buying high definition editions of their favorite movies is more likely to have a portable device or additional PC they'd like to copy the movie to, and studios are picking up on digital copy as a feature that customers might actually value, as opposed to free movie tickets and rebates that typically go unredeemed. Video Business mentions Sony and Fox are moving towards digital copy only on the Blu-ray releases of upcoming movies, and including more flicks the additional copy embedded on disc as opposed to requiring a download. All that's well and good, but really we're still wondering what happened to the managed copy dream that was supposed to take care of all this.
Blu-ray studios get graded, Sony Pictures comes out on top
Kudos, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment -- you've apparently been doing quite well in the Blu-ray department this year. The folks over at Sound & Vision recently took a hard look at a number of BD-releasing studios this year in order to give 'em all the grade they deserve. As for criteria? Critics looked at the "technical prowess of the audio and video presentations, the adoption or avoidance of available Blu-ray exclusive technologies (BD-Live, etc.) and the breadth and diversity of their releases as well as their reaction to the unique challenges of the latest evolution of the BD market." Interested to see how the rest of the competition fared? Give the read link a look for all the dirt.
DS Daily: Accessorizing
Most DS owners have, at some time or another, picked up a case (to protect the system) or perhaps a specialized stylus. But have you bought anything else? Hard shells, skins -- decorative, silicon, or both -- or something wacky like a stand? We'd love to hear how you accessorize your baby, even if it's only a matter of buying something to keep those tiny carts in.
Details flow about The Ultimate Matrix Collection on Blu-ray
We know you're hungry for every last morsel of information on Warner's hotly-anticipated Ultimate Matrix Collection on Blu-ray, so here goes. Warner Home Video just released information confirming that the data we already had was true, and that a seven-disc BD box set would be landing on (and shortly departing from) store shelves on October 14th. Aside from housing the complete trilogy with lossless 5.1 Dolby TrueHD audio, the package will also include an hour of special features on each film. More specifically, you'll see the studio's In-Movie Experience alongside The Animatrix (which is debuting in high-definition here), 35 more hours of undisclosed bonus material and a digital copy of The Matrix. Yeah, $129.95 is still the asking price, but you know it'll be going for a bit less on launch day.
Wii Warm Up: Once, it was small
When the Wii was released, it was small, especially compared to the behemoth consoles manufactured by the competition. But after the wheel and the zapper and digging out the GameCube controllers, and finding a place for the balance board -- and don't forget, you'll need those maracas, too -- does it feel like the tiny system has grown a little? Is it taking over the living room? How do you manage all the extras?
AT&T enables Flickr photo viewing on U-verse TV
As carriers (and STB manufacturers) continue to implement new and varied extras to make their service just different enough to reel you in, AT&T's making sure it doesn't get caught stale by enabling its users to view Flickr images from the comfort of their couch. AT&T Online Photos, as it's so eloquently dubbed, is an integrated photos channel that allows users to access their own account and watch slideshows by simply flipping to channel 91 or navigating through the U-verse TV menu. Hey, U-verse subscribers -- why not give this a go and see if it's more useful than gimmicky (or vice-versa)? One more look after the jump.
Warhammer Online's voice over video
Well it has finally happened folks, now that Electronic Arts as absorbed Mythic we're finally seeing the horrendous outcome. Indeed, Warhammer Online is going to feature professional voice overs for all of its inhabitants because of the EA acquisition -- terrifying!All right, we were having a laugh, but you can't blame us for indulging. This month's production podcast features lots of professionally paid voice actors saying all sorts of weird High Elf lines in a sound room. There's also an Extras reference as well as some screaming at the very end of the video. After hearing these actors deliver some of the lines in the podcast, we're happy to say the voice work in WAR is going to be quite good.
Contra 4 packed with extras, shirtless robots
Ever the fan pleasers, Konami has loaded Contra 4 carts with enough bonus features to make you completely forget about that fiasco with the cancelled preorder set. Bask in the invigorating glow of unlockable content done right: Original NES versions of Contra and Super C A 20th Anniversary Virtual Museum (box art, screenshots, and info on every Contra title from all territories) Two digital comics from Contra artist Atsushi Tsijumoto An interview with Contra Producer Nobuya Nakazato Five hidden characters, including a Probotector model We have a long-documented distrust of robots, especially humanoid ones armed to their android teeth, but we're sure that European gamers are rejoicing over the return of their reskinned heroes. Just don't be surprised when they burn down your homes and subjugate the entire human race the first chance they get.[Via NeoGAF]
Microsoft releases DreamScene for Vista Ultimate users
Hot on the heels of the SP1 limited release, Microsoft has now announced the availability of Windows DreamScene for Vista Ultimate users. If you'll recall, we caught a glimpse of what an in-motion desktop looked like earlier this year, and while we're sure some will get more fired up (ahem) over this than others, it makes for good eye candy if you've nothing better to do with system resources. Additionally, it was noted that users will have access to a number of animated desktops in conjunction with Stardock, and those itching for even more Ultimate Extras can apparently look for more details to come their way later this year.[Thanks, Daniel O.]
Dixie Chicks, Commentaries, and Bonus items in iTunes
Here's the thing. iTunes is rotten at video extras and it totally rocks at music ones. I recently bought a DVD of Cars. It had Easter eggs and it had bonus features. So do a lot of my other DVDs, which unlike Cars add commentaries into the mix as well. So I handbraked the DVD and my iPod has the movie, the alternate scenes, and a sweet copy of One Man Band. Sure, I can download a movie from the iTunes store but I don't get any of these goodies when I do so. Nor can I pay a little more to access them. Yes, there are plenty of great podcast features but they have little or nothing to do with the content that gets packed onto those DVDs. But music? iTunes is full of bonus tracks, album-only tracks and iTunes exclusive tracks. The other day, a new exclusive single from the Dixie Chicks[1] popped onto my iTunes radar and I immediately bought and downloaded their new "The Neighbor" single and loaded it onto my iPod. A win for me, and a win for the music industry. So when will we see the same thing happen for movies and TV shows[2]? Why aren't those fabulous Heroes commentaries available for sale at the iTunes store? Frankly, I'm sick and tired of listening to that Mark Whatever guy talk about living in his Nissan. I'd rather pay for the privilege than have to deal with the stutters, breaks, rebuffering and endless Nissan commercials. (And, contrary to all intentions, I'm pretty certain that after all the NBC/Nissan barrage that I will never buy a Nissan car. Ever.) It doesn't make any sense to me that these items are being held back from the market--especially when there's a consumer base willing to pay a little extra for them. After all, it's not as if iTunes is a threat to DVD sales. When you think about the lower-quality video, the DRM and all the other inconveniences, iTunes weighs out as more of a luxury impulse item than a true competitor. I paid my dollar for my Chicks track. When will I be able to pay a dollar for my commentary video? [1] I'm not red state. I'm not blue state. I'm purple. And I love their music. [2] Admittedly, there's a little TV bonus content out there like this season-pass only OC featurette.
META seeks to push HD DVD / Blu-ray formats, features
Considering that some retailers are already implementing larger floor displays for HD DVD / Blu-ray discs, and the wee fact that we've already got a combo player out on the market to appease the fence-sitters, we suppose it follows logic that an off-the-wall group be formed to push the formats and their all too controversial features into public acceptance. The recently-formed Media Experience Trade Association (META) is hoping to "improve consumer acceptance of emerging formats" by slapping "META Seals" onto discs that clearly inform consumers of certain usability benchmarks and by "creating digital media standards" that would help the faltering iHD Advanced Navigation and BD-Java features blossom. Interestingly, the group's purpose is to simplify things and make the user "feel less intimidated," but we're not so sure that tossing extra labels and probably a few hidden dollars in the pricetag to compensate for "their work" is the best approach. Still, it looks like yet another tag will be hitting high-definition discs "by the end of 2007" if this all pans out, but if we end up getting a bit more functionality in our next-generation flicks, we won't grumble too much.
The Descent giving fits to BD-Java-less Blu-ray players
If you've just picked up the recently released The Descent on Blu-ray disc, hold back from tearing the plastic off just a minute. If you're using a first-generation Blu-ray player that doesn't yet support the "BD-Java environment," chances are you'll be graced with a depressing black screen instead of an action-packed thriller. Users across the web are complaining that the film isn't playing back on their particular Blu-ray player, and High-Def Digest has suggested that units that don't play nice with BD-Java extras are having a hard time swallowing (and playing) the featurette-packed disc. Sony's BDP-S1 and Pioneer's BDP-HD1 have been singled-out as the two most problematic players in this ordeal, and while Sony has promised a firmware update to add BD-J support "early this year," the Pioneer users are currently out of luck. Notably, Panasonic units, Samsung's BD-P1000, and Sony's own PlayStation 3 are having no troubles, although some Samsung devices may need the latest firmware installed to overcome any glitches. Hopefully more manufacturers will get on the ball and start supporting these newfangled extras that were supposed to make high definition discs worth more than the pretty resolution, and kudos to Lionsgate for pumping this one up with BD-J action -- even though some of us are still trying to make it spin.[Via High-Def Digest]
SingTones delivers instant karaoke ringtones, ensures humiliation
If you're not fortunate enough to have access to KTF's ringtone-making stations, and think those Top 40 songs-turned-tones are just played out, how'd you like to hear your own screeching renditions blasting from your mobile? SingTones -- a new service / software designed to aid in the creation of karaoke ringtones -- allows users to purchase popular songs and then dub their own voice atop the music. By texting to buy or purchasing the track online, customers can then listen to the soundtrack, belt out the lyrics into their phone, and instantly receive a customized ringtone sure to elicit incredible amounts of embarrassment if used in public. SingTones charges a whopping £3.00 ($5.75) per song if ordered from your mobile, and £2.50 ($4.76) if purchased online, but tossing your ho hum vocals atop of your favorite tune can be accomplished for much less coin if you've got the necessary skills to whip up your own.[Via Pocket-Lint]
X-Men: The Last Stand due on Blu-ray November 14th
There has been considerable speculation over when Twentieth Century Fox would put out one of its biggest recent titles on the Blu-ray format and it has finally answered that question. X-Men: The Last Stand is set for release November 14th, specifically timed to be on store shelves for the release of the PlayStation 3 November 17th. Carrying an MSRP of $39.98, the film is authored in standard HDMV using MPEG-4 AVC compression and includes such extras as a 6.1 DTS ES HD Lossless Master Audio soundtrack, two commentary tracks, twelve deleted scenes and a Marvel Trivia Track enabling pop=up bits of information and comic panels referencing different information about the characters during the movie. Did we mention that all of the extras are high definition? With X-Men debuting at the same time as Fox's previously announced first round of Blu-ray releases Fox has been very clear that its Blu-ray strategy is centered entirely around Sony's console, with or without $100 HDMI cables gamers can look forward to some excellent releases that week.
